Jakub Voracek can't wrap head around how bad Flyers played

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VOORHEES, N.J. — After elimination from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, pride is all the Flyers had left to play for.

Right now, pride hasn’t been much of a motivator. 

“I think even if you don’t try, I don’t think it could be that bad,“ Jakub Voracek said Friday. “It was probably the worst period I was a part of in 11 years.”

That was Voracek’s assessment following Thursday’s game in St. Louis as the Flyers were in complete disarray, allowing five goals in the first 9:41 of the game (see observations). It was the quickest five goals in the 52-year history of the Blues’ franchise.

Which makes you wonder how much effort the Flyers exerted in the first period of another dreadful loss — their sixth in the last seven games. In that span, the Flyers have also been outscored 15-5 in the first period.

“I was trying to wrap my head around it, but I couldn’t,” Voracek said. “There was nothing there yesterday — skill wise, playing wise, skating wise, battle wise. It was really disappointing. You guys ask me what we need to do. I don’t f---ing know.”

For starters, the Flyers could finish out their season with some semblance of structure. Right now, they’re playing as if they’ve scrapped their game plan just minutes after warmups, where the intensity of performing at a playoff pitch for two-plus months has finally taken its toll. 

“I think that loss in Toronto (7-6 on March 15) took the wind out of our sails,” interim head coach Scott Gordon said. “The way it happened, the timing of when it happened. From an energy standpoint, I think there’s a little bit of a drain from what we had gone through the two prior months. Now we’re in a situation where we haven’t had anything to play for a few games now.”

And it has clearly showed.

A regulation loss against an inspired Hurricanes team Saturday would put the Flyers at the .500 mark with a record of 37-37-8 while finishing with just 82 points. It would be their worst mark since 2006-07, when they finished with a dismal 56 points, and their second-worst single-season record in the past 25 years, excluding shortened 48-game seasons.   

“It sucks. Obviously when you get eliminated, it sucks,” Voracek said. “There’s a lot more to play for after you’re eliminated — your pride, a lot of guys have contracts.”

The Flyers have one more opportunity Saturday to put their disappointment aside or risk being booed out of their own building when they face the resurgent Hurricanes, a team that secured its first postseason berth since 2009 with a 3-1 win over the Devils Thursday.

With a win over the Flyers, Carolina can also avoid a potential first-round playoff matchup with the mighty Tampa Bay Lightning.

“We just want to finish strong,” Sean Couturier said. “I think we owe it to the fans. It’s been tough [for them] this year. We need to show some pride and put on a good show for the fans.”

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